First Day of Hell [Max]

[Rowena Jones]

Place: St Mungos
Time: October 1st 2020
Characters Involved: Rowena Covington and Max Kameren

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What even was sleep? Rowena Covington thought to herself as she shrugged on her Healer Robes and smothered a yawn. Her brain was still wholly focused on the assignment she'd just completed for her medical studies at the University of Nottingham. Term had only started a week ago, but she liked to get as much as she could done before things went too crazy. And she'd been rather lucky that just last week she'd assisted on a bowel operation, though of course Magic tended to make things a little simpler than the Muggle counterpart. The biology was the same though and that had been all she really needed details on. Nevertheless, the past two years had been exhausting and she was not looking forward to her 3rd year and the dissertation that would bring. Not to mention the volunteering at Queen's that her university tutors had insisted she do. All on top of a fulltime job and traineeship at St Mungos Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries. No, sleep was no longer something Rowena was familiar with.

And yet there was no choice in the matter. Her mother was quickly deteriorating and she was the only one who had to potential to fix it. If only Mungos would let her start her own research! But she was still considered too young, despite her glowing results thus far, and she was met with the same answer again and again. When you are granted full Healer status. Which would normally be in another 4 years! Completely unacceptable. So of course she'd given herself more work and was aiming to complete this first stage within the next year. If she could finish both her Muggle Degree and this traineeship together then she could really start her work on the Alzheimers research which was really the whole point of all of this.

She grabbed a large bar of Honeydukes chocolate from her locker and left to meet her fellow and their supervisor for this week, Healer Harold Stone. There was talk going around Mungo's ever persistent rumour mill that they were getting this years new Trainees today. But Rowena wasn't focused on that. No today was her day! Third year at Mungos meant they were finally being trusted with their own cases. Still supervised, but she would be in charge. The young witch broke off a piece of chocolate to nibble on as she read the notes floating in front of her, so consumed in her task that she turned the corner without pause and promptly crashed into a tall dark haired stranger, falling to the floor, her notes flying everywhere.

Which was the least of her worries she thought as she began to choke on the chocolate she'd just put in her mouth. She coughed, her eyes watering, glancing around for help when her eyes fell on the reason for her possible early death. "Y-O-YOU!" she spluttered, still trying to get enough air around the treat lodged in her throat. Why wasn't it melting quicker and why was bloody Max Kameren in her hospital wearing Trainee Healer robes?!

[Max Kameren]

It had been a long journey, but he was finally here. Well, not here specifically; Max had spent most of his magical life in and out of St. Mungo’s with his father, but this was the first time he stepped into the threshold as a soon-to-be Healer. After training temporarily stayed aspirations dating back to Hogwarts for Potions Mastery it was time.

He’d been ready after passing his PM test back in May, but his attention was needed elsewhere; Curse Kameren’s condition was getting worse. At the end of the school year even with Max around to keep an eye on him he’d had a couple pretty nasty falls. Now he’d been outfitted with a cane and his poison burning sessions had been doubled, but the adjustment had been hard on him. Max put off his healing aspirations one last time to look after his father over the summer. Come September and the new Hogwarts school year he was eager to begin.

Max had been taken on by Milton specifically for his Potions Mastery: the senior of the three current Potions Masters was looking to retire in September, so Max would take his place and learn healing concurrently, serving as an assistant to the other Potions Masters until he had authorization to work one-on-one with patients. He’d spent the first month of his dream employment closed up in the Potions Team’s combined office in a far corner of the hospital, brewing on a round-the-clock schedule and counting down the days until he was able to join the class of trainees in October.

Today he finally got to wear his green healer’s robes and feel honest in them. With his Potions Master’s tasks still calling out to him he arrived early to check on the cauldrons he had brewing before he made one last stop. Max found the usual treatment room in the Long Term Ward and spun around the door frame, meeting the eyes of the patient lying in bed within with a wide grin. “What d’you think?”

The pale, gaunt face of Curse Kameren glanced up from the stack of parchment he was reading and took in the beaming face of his son in the doorway. He was glowing with excitement; the elder Kameren could feel it waft off of him in waves like radiation. Curse pulled down his reading glasses and looked the boy up and down. “You look like you were always supposed to.” The welled pride in his father's aura made Max shift in awkward gratefulness and he found himself looking around the room to distract from his father's gze. Curse smiled tiredly; Max could feel the fatigue from the procedure he was midway through draining him. “When do you start today?”

“Soon. I need to head over now, just thought I’d check in. How are you feeling?”

“Good.”

Max let the white lie go and nodded as he reached out for the door. “Alright, I’ll be back after rounds, yeah? I’ll see you off before you head back to the school.” With a nod from his parent he turned into the hallway in the direction of Trainee Orientation. On the first corner he ran head-on into another healer, the small woman’s notes flying upwards like a swarm of pixies in the hallway.

“Sorry!” He started before he even looked up, holding out a hand and pulling the woman’s notes to his fingers with a quick Accio. Max pushed himself up and looked up at the healer with a smile that quickly faltered. He recognized the witch, but her recognized the burning, choking feeling her aura gave him even more.

"Y-O-YOU!" she spluttered.

Max half-smiled, trying to relieve the tension of the moment as she coughed. “Hey, I remember you! Ravenclaw class of 2028, right?” He handed over her notes and squeezed his eyes closed as he thought, his voice jumpy with friendly excitement. “Kerrington, right?” He knew it was wrong, he knew it was Rowena Covington. But he also knew it would bother her that he didn’t remember, and old habits die hard.

[Rowena Jones]

“Hey, I remember you! Ravenclaw class of 2028, right?” Max handed over her notes and Rowena finally took a decent breath as the obstruction melted away. Such a gentlemen letting her almost die. Good thing it had only been chocolate or she would have come back to haunt him just out of spite. “Kerrington, right?”

She glared at him. If she could remember who he was, he sure as hell was able to do the same. Merlin, even now, at almost 20 and he apparently was as much of a prat as he'd been at Hogwarts. Hogwarts where she'd been so sure she'd left Max and his infuriating ways forever. And now he was here. In her beloved, exhausting place of work. Unless... he wasn't? She was running on nothing. Maybe this was all just a dream, a terrible nightmare in which her high school nemesis was suddenly at Mungos. Stress. That's what this was. A recollection of something that drove her absolutely mad. Her brain was trying to tell her to calm down on her work load. And Rowena decided right there and then that she would listen, if only, for the love of all things Magic, this was just a dream.

The witch pinched herself, yelped and then went straight back to glaring at Max. It wasn't a dream. He was really here. Rowena supposed the bump and subsequent fall should have clued her in, but she'd just really wanted to believe that he would disappear and leave her life in peace. If he was here, and wearing those robes... it was too much. She'd be stuck with him forever. And she wasn't going to leave. No way. She'd been here first. What had he been doing anyway for the past two years? Gallivanting around no doubt while she'd been working herself to the bone. Literally.

"No," she finally ground out, checking her notes to make sure she wasn't missing some or that the renewed bane of her existence hadn't stolen any. Rowena narrowed her eyes at him. She wasn't going to play his stupid little game. If he really didn't remember her name, he'd soon find out. He was just a measly first year, she a third and with very firm plans to be a fully qualified Healer before the next year was out.

She glanced at her watch and started. Fuck! She was going to be late. Damnit. Max had been here for less than a day and he was already screwing things up for her. Just great. Another thing for her to worry about on top of everything else. As if she didn't have enough to think about!

Rowena started walking in her intended direction and then sighed. He might not have matured in two years, but being a Healer, even one only in training, taught you a lot about how to interact with others. And maybe, just maybe, they could not rub heads now that they were adults. Obviously, their first adult interaction had not gone swimmingly... but second time might do the trick? "You're due for Orientation right? Started five minutes ago? It'll be this way by now. The Seniors don't wait for anyone and they like to teach us on the move."

She didn't wait to see if he followed. She'd done her part. He wasn't her problem anymore. She turned onto the Creature Induced Injuries Ward and smirked as she saw Healer Mary Rhind with four other new Trainees by one of the beds. The Hospital Tour had begun without Max, as she'd predicted. And then Rowena winced as she saw Healer Harold Stone talking to Holly Bobbin who was in turn describing the patient whose bed they were standing by. Rowena's patient. Or it should have been. Fucking Max Kameren. 

[Max Kameren]

“Kerrington, right?” Max felt the twist of her aura in annoyance and his smile widened. She was a painful but fascinating torrent of unpleasant feelings for him: confusion, anger and irritation all swirled together, off-put momentarily by disbelief and surprise when she settled on the reality of his presence. It seemed Rowena Covington’s hatred of him had somehow only grown in the two years post-Hogwarts.

"No," she finally ground out, and his smile grew as her eyes narrowed. Something about the specifically antagonistic ring of her aura grating against his piqued his interest and Max couldn’t resist the temptation to bother her when the option presented itself. She straightened her notes and checked her watch with a start. Max raised an eyebrow and checked his to realize it had stopped. Shit, he was going to be late on his first day!

"You're due for Orientation right? Started five minutes ago? It'll be this way by now. The Seniors don't wait for anyone and they like to teach us on the move."

“Shhhit, yeah I’m aware.” Max shrugged and followed Rowena down the hall, his longer-legged pace quickly catching up with her as he took his own notebook and muggle pen out of his healer’s robes in preparation. In his month as just a Potions Master he’d already had several run-ins and brush-offs from the senior Healers he brewed for. Thus far it had been split fairly evenly: half his superiors at Mungo’s recognized him by his presence at the hospital through the years and understood the effort it took him to get here, and the other half saw his family and his personal friendship with Milton Bonham and immediately cried nepotism. It made the first month disheartening, but he would turn it around by doubling his efforts as a trainee.

Being late to his first rounds as a trainee healer was not how to start, however. “Late, Healers Covington and Kameren.” Max nodded apologetically as he filed in by the first-year healers, pen at the ready and poised to take notes along the St. Mungo’s tour. He smirked as he felt one last jab in his direction from Rowena as the first years veered off on their own path.

The next hour passed slowly for Max; much of the orientation had been covered for him by the Potions Masters over the previous month, and when it came to touring the hospital Max had been walking its halls for years. He perked up again when the tour group finally returned to Creature Induced Injuries and re-joined the more advanced trainees. The tour had drained him of patience and Max inwardly groaned when he felt the tension of Rowena’s aura stand out among the other concentrated and nervous healers in the room. He sighed and followed along as the group filed around a wizard laying out on a bed, apparently suffering form the blue pustules of Pixie Pox.

“First years, listen up! We’re going to have common ailments in the Creature Injuries Wing summarized for you by the third-year Trainees. Please take notes; I will have a list of reference materials for you after the lecture. First up: Healer Bobbin, please explain this patient’s diagnosis to our first-year class.”

Finally, something new. Max’s green eyes sparked with interest as the third-year trainee stepped forward to recite her summary of Pixie Pox, scribbling notes as she spoke. He had finally gotten zoned into the lecture, following the group as they moved to the next bed.

“Healer Covington, please explain this patient’s diagnosis to our first years…”

[Rowena Jones]

“Late, Healers Covington and Kameren.”

Rowena grimaced but said nothing. All his fault. She siddled into place with Holly and Matthias, her fellow third years, watching with a bitter taste in her mouth as Holly took over what should have been her case. If this set her ambitions back even just a little bit, she would never forgive Max Kameren. The next hour was torture. By being late, Rowena had effectively given what should have been her day to the other female Trainee. She was not in charge at all today and it was the worst thing that could have happened. She was forced to listen to Holly and do basic grunt work as they toured the patients whose notes she had studied so extensively. 

It seemed like an age by the time there was a small commotion by the doors as the First Years reappeared. She glanced up. Urgh. Rowena had still been hoping deep down there'd been a mistake and he'd be gone by now, but he was still there. 

"Rowena, please concentrate. You've missed a spot," Holly's gently chiding tone brought Rowena back to her current situation which was the joyful job of applying paste to every single damn blue pustule on their patients body. She hated Pixie Pox. Treatment was simple but laborious and today she was the lucky witch who got this fun job. Rowena glanced up at Holly and pointedly put the paste on the spot she'd missed without looking. 'Happy now?' she thought snidely, before continuing her job as the First years approached.  

“First years, listen up! We’re going to have common ailments in the Creature Injuries Wing summarized for you by the third-year Trainees. Please take notes; I will have a list of reference materials for you after the lecture. First up: Healer Bobbin, please explain this patient’s diagnosis to our first-year class.”

Rowena tuned out. She'd already heard this several minutes ago, plus 'she had a job to do', she thought angrily, spending the next couple of minutes ensuring the patient was completely covered. It wouldn't do for Healer Holly to chide her again. She let out a deep breath as she straightened up and they moved to their next patient. 

“Healer Covington, please explain this patient’s diagnosis to our first years…”

Finally! Something other than giving out potions, fixing pillows and practicing basic bedside manner. Rowena tried to ignore him. She tried so hard to act normally but damnit, it was as if the past two years had melted away and she was suddenly determined to show him just how much better than him she was all over again.

"Scofungulus," she stated clearly, "contracted when bitten by a Furrit which has previously feasted on a Threstral. Furrits are small insects that usually cause small yellow pustules in the bitten area. This common infliction disappears within a couple of hours but can be treated with a small amount of Moondew gel if irritation occurs. However, in the case of the patient here today, the Furrit has previously bitten a Threstral which is a rare occurrence. In this case, Scofungulus occurs, thus named because of the similar appearance of the rash to the fungi the Furrit is named after, Golden spindles or Clavulinopsis fusiformis. This malady can be fatal if not treated efficiently and correctly. A severe infection enters the bloodstream from the bite site. The Lymph nodes will swell and the rash will develop into long yellow lines radiating outwards from the original bite. Without treatment the victim will present with extreme coughing and blood spotting within 24 hours. Prognosis from that point is 48 hours to live. It is also highly contagious once present in humans."

Rowena paused in her explanation to smirk as the trainees took a large step back. Amateurs, she thought, her amusement fading when she caught sight of Healer Rhind's own amused glance. The older Healer didn't seem to be focused on the first years though, but rather on Rowena herself. She flushed, before straightening further. She was perhaps being a little overly detailed in her account but they were first years. She was teaching them. Rowena continued, determined to show off her extensive knowledge.

"No need to worry. The patient has already been decontaminated and is now in the final stages of treatment," the witch started to say, but Healer Stone stepped in with a sharp cough.

"Yes, well after that thorough explanation, I wonder if any of our first years know the proper treatment for this malady?" He shook his head at Rowena as she opened her mouth to supply the answer she'd been about to give. "Give the poor kids a chance Rowena," he said effectively shutting her up.

[Max Kameren]

"Scofungulus," Covington stated clearly, "contracted when bitten by a…”

There was a slight pull to the back of Max’s sleeve and he turned his head, but saw no one. Perturbed, he turned back to Covington’s lecture. This was met with another, more authoritative jerk of his elbow that shifted the Potions Master backwards, looking around in bewilderment. “What?”

“Healer Kameren!” A very short, elderly witch glared up at him from behind thick cat-eye glasses. Ah, this would be the dreaded Healer Banelion, whom he had been warned about on several occasions since he started in September. She was the terror of the Magical Creatures wing, or so he’d heard. “Where are the Wolfsbane Potions that are to be distributed today?! The full moon is in four days!”

Max glanced warily over his shoulder where Covington was still prattling on, wary not to disturb her speech or he’d have hell to pay from two Mungo’s witches on his first official day. He hunched down to speak more quietly to Healer Banelion, checking his watch with a furrowed brow. “Distribution for those potions doesn’t start until evening. They’re too fresh to be hit by direct sunlight or they may spoil.”

Banelion huffed, glaring up at him with a hand on her hip. “I’ve had two werewolves come to me looking for potions just this morning! This is highly irregular, Healer Kameren, and you should expect I’ll be telling Healer Franken about it.” The senior Potions Master of whom she spoke would likely agree with Max, as he had been the one to warn him about Healer Banelion in the first place. Max gave her an apologetic look, but there was little he could do until sundown. He moved to turn back to the lecture, but her final words struck his core: “I warned Healer Bonham I worried about your work ethic, with such a prominent family…” Banelion shook her head as she stalked away, the shadow of a sneer crossing her lips.

The barb felt like rusted metal on his tongue, long nails raking across the outside of his skull. He bit his tongue to keep his own reply behind his teeth and tensed as he turned away back to the lecture and immediately turned into another trap.

"Yes, well after that thorough explanation, I wonder if any of our first years know the proper treatment for this malady?" Healer Harold had observed Max’s interaction with Healer Banelion while Covington spoke, and though he didn’t overhear their conversation he did not appreciate a first year tuning out an important lecture, least of all on his first day. “Healer Kameren, how would you treat?”

Shit. Max looked up at him from his notes like a deer in headlights, glancing to the patient to look them over and stall to jog his memory. Scrofungulus, scrofungulus… It wasn’t treated with a specific potion, just whatever was needed to remedy symptoms. That he would know. What did he know about scrofungulus? It sounded familiar, but he couldn’t put a finger on it.

“Healer Kameren?” Harold prompted, pushing Max into a snap explanation.

“Uhm… Isolation?” Max looked up as a short passage bubbled to the front of his memory and he recited it as best he recalled. “Treat the surface symptoms individually, the cough and the rash. Isolate the patient until they’re no longer contagious and boost their immune system, and it’ll go away on its own in four to six days.” The Potions Master looked up anxiously between Healers Harold and Mary, shifting awkwardly under the weight of the eyes and auras boring into him. It surely wasn’t the most eloquent of answers, but had he gotten it?

[Rowena Jones]

Healer Stone turned to the 1st years for answers and Rowena held back a groan as he singled one out. “Healer Kameren, how would you treat?” Urgh, now he was going to get all the credit, just like he'd done at Hogwarts. She'd already practically given them the answer in her explanation. 

...Except what was this? Rowena took in Max's startled look and felt the warmth of satisfied glee. He didn't know? Oh this was too good! She folded her arms and settled in to watch the show. 

“Healer Kameren?” Harold prompted, and Rowena raised an eyebrow in question. 'Yes, please Healer Kameren. Impress us all with your extraordinary intellect...' Maybe this shit show of a day wouldn't be so bad after all. 

“Uhm… Isolation?” She rolled her eyes. Gold star for stating the obvious. “Treat the surface symptoms individually, the cough and the rash. Isolate the patient until they’re no longer contagious and boost their immune system, and it’ll go away on its own in four to six days.” He was looking between the Senior Healers anxiously. And so he should be, Rowena thought with a delighted grin. 

"You are correct. Treating the surface symptoms separately would allow for them to go away in that time frame..." Healer Stone said, his face like his name. Stony, impassive and not at all impressed by the new recruit. "Can any one else tell me what Healer Kameren did wrong in this scenario?" He looked at the remaining 1st years who were all shifting nervously at the prospect of also being singled out. "No one?" He shook his head in exasperation before turning to his 3rd years with a resigned sigh though a hint of amusement tugged at the corners of his lips. "Yes Healer Covington?"

"He killed the patient." Rowena stated smugly. 

"Correct. Would you like to explain to the timid mice we have here instead of confident healers the correct procedure?"

"Immediate isolation followed by extraction of the irritant that entered the blood stream at the bite site and is quickly poisoning the patient. This is a complicated operation that involves very specific targeting and extreme precision with wandwork. Only done by experienced Senior Healers. Once the irritant has been removed through the original entrance site, the patient is thoroughly decontaminated and then treatment of surface symptoms can begin. The rest is as Healer Kameren said." Rowena reeled off, finishing with a satisfied smirk in Max's direction. Calling him Healer Kameren had left a bitter taste in her mouth but the knowledge that he'd been wrong more than made up for it.

"Exactly. One mistake and your patient dies. Magic is a wonderful thing and we can perform miracles." Healer Stone turned to each first year with a sharp pointed look, pausing in particular on Max. "We can also ruin lives if we do not study properly and do not pay attention when those with more experience are speaking. You are first years. Everyone else here has more experience, more knowledge than you." It was like music to Rowena's ears. Confirmation by a superior that she knew more than Max Kameren. Today was shaping up to be much better than she'd thought after it's awful beginning.

"In order for you to learn more, you will spend the remainder of the morning shadowing a third year. Willows and Kettleburn, you're with Healer Bobbin. Podmore and Binns, with Healer Ross and Kameren with Healer Covington."

And in one second, the day had gone back to being a disaster.

[Max Kameren]

"You are correct. Treating the surface symptoms separately would allow for them to go away in that time frame..." Healer Stone’s aura was even as he lectured, but Max could barely concentrate after the fireball of smug satisfaction radiating off his protégé. Though she stood with her arms crossed in her head she did an elaborate football victory dance, Max could feel it in his head too. "Can any one else tell me what Healer Kameren did wrong in this scenario? No one? Yes Healer Covington?"

"He killed the patient." Rowena stated smugly. Max glared daggers in reply to her pompous smirk.

"Correct. Would you like to explain to the timid mice we have here instead of confident healers the correct procedure?"

"Immediate isolation followed by extraction of the irritant that entered the blood stream at the bite site and is quickly poisoning the patient […] The rest is as Healer Kameren said."

"Exactly. One mistake and your patient dies. Magic is a wonderful thing and we can perform miracles." Healer Stone’s judgemental gaze compressed Max downward and he slumped, making notes to escape the attention called upon him. Had he suddenly fallen into Covington’s Hogwarts-era revenge fantasy? He could still feel the warm, jittery waves of joy coming off of Rowena as Max was indirectly berated in front of the class. "We can also ruin lives if we do not study properly and do not pay attention when those with more experience are speaking. You are first years. Everyone else here has more experience, more knowledge than you."

Well, that wasn’t entirely true. Max served a dual purpose to St. Mungo’s; sure, he wasn’t an expert on healing yet, but his potions were already helping people around the hospital. Max wasn’t behind and he did not have a poor work ethic, no matter what Covington or Banelion insisted. He would push through the rest of the lesson and prove it.

"In order for you to learn more, you will spend the remainder of the morning shadowing a third year. Willows and Kettleburn, you're with Healer Bobbin. Podmore and Binns, with Healer Ross and Kameren with Healer Covington."

With those words, the small amount of confidence in turning the lesson around was snuffed out. The Potions Master held his breath in a silent groan as he resigned to his fate, dutifully pairing up with Covington. How fortunate was he, to be reliving the most tedious moments of his Hogwarts life in perpetuity at the pace he intended to make the rest of his career? “Let’s get this over with. Where to, Healer Covington?” He sighed, arching a acerbic brow down at her.

Whatever smug victory lap Rowena had planned for him fell on deaf ears as a parchment plane floated into view, making a circle around Max’s head before he caught it. “Hold on,” He cut her off, unfolding the plane to read Healer Franken’s note to him: Refreshed Oculus Potion? Max laid the note flat to scribble out a quick affirmative reply before he tossed the note back into the air and turned back to Rowena without an explanation. “Alright, sorry. Now, where to?”

[Rowena Jones]

Max dutifully made his way over to her even as she desperately hoped he'd refuse. Rowena wracked her brain trying to think of any excuse, any reason that would get her out of this. Damnit. Why couldn't she have gotten anybody else?! Timid they might be but at least they would appreciate what she would teach them. She already knew what Kameren would be like. She'd worked on enough projects with him throughout their years at Hogwarts to know he did not appreciate her in the slightest. “Let’s get this over with. Where to, Healer Covington?” He sighed, arching a acerbic brow down at her.

"We're going to Spell Damage," she said turning on her heel to leave when a parchment plane flew past her. "We have to do the rounds for Healer Stone and check on a few long-" She continued assuming the plane was for one of the Senior Healers when Max spoke, interrupting her.

“Hold on,” He cut her off and she turned sharply, irritated retort ready to leave her lips when she saw him unfolding the plane. Wait. Why was Kameren getting messages? It was his first day. And how dare he push her to the bottom of his priorities! “Alright, sorry. Now, where to?”

He could shove his apology up a Hippogriff's arse for all she cared. The fucking nerve of the man. And if he hadn't been listening the first time she'd spoken then he could just bloody wait to see where they were going. She glared at him for response before continuing on her way to the 4th floor, not bothering to see if he would follow. She rather hoped he wouldn't. The morning would be much better if she wasn't faced with his infuriating face for the next few hours. She'd never wanted a day to go by more quickly, though she supposed he would be in Theory that afternoon. Thank Merlin. She could get on with proper work instead of babysitting.

Rowena finally arrived at the archway that proudly announced their intended destination, glancing over her shoulder to see Kameren and groaning inwardly. So he hadn't decided to get lost along the way. Fine. As long as he didn't try to contradict her as she did her rounds. If he did that there would be hell to pay. 

Spell Damage was her favourite and was where she would specialise. She'd made sure to spend as much time there as she could, something Healer Stone, as Head of that Department, had already noted. The Janus Thickey ward in particular held several long term patients who were suffering from irreversible memory loss. If she could find a way to restore their memories then she could possibly apply a similar treatment to her mum. Plus, there was a delicious sort of challenge in this specialty, here was where they could pick apart spells, charms and curses to fix people like a sort of reverse magic. It was fascinating to watch and even better to do, though she'd only actually participated in one operation so far. But now that she was a Third year, she would be expected to help out a lot more than just pre-op and post-op care. 

But for this morning, it would be very much like any other day in her Second Year. Rowena grabbed the thick cluster of folders by the entrance, taking the top one and handing the others to Max. If he had to be here, he might as well be useful. She opened the folder she'd kept, glanced at the bed number written neatly in the corner and made her way to their first patient. "You won't do this until Second Year," she said to her unwelcome shadow, "but we collect the folders from their and our job is to go through them all and ensure they have gotten the correct follow up treatment. Most patients at Mungos don't stay too long, magic fixes them up pretty quickly, but the Spell Damage Ward is known for having the most long term patients."

She pulled back the curtain surrounding their patient, a smile lighting up her face as she looked at the woman glancing back at them from her bed. "Luckily for Miss Swindon, today is the day you get to go home isn't it Annie?" Rowena finished talking to the woman she'd gotten the know over the past few days she'd been hospitalised. "Her chart's at the end of the bed Kameren, if you'd care to read it out to me please." While she spoke, Rowena cast a few diagnosis charms on Annie, ensuring that the other woman was truly healthy.

[Max Kameren]

“Alright, sorry. Now, where to?” Covington took Max’s stalling about as well as he expected, turning away and storming off to Spell Damage with a huff. He rolled is eyes and followed. As much as she seemed to think so, St. Mungo’s didn’t stop to suit her needs. If Max needed to answer notes on potions, he would.

Covington’s tall, surly shadow followed her all the way to the archway of the Janus Thickey Ward. When she glanced over her shoulder and caught sight of him he shrugged at her exasperation: now what? Did she expect him to throw some kind of tantrum and walk away from his first day healing because his third-year mentor was a harpy? That was her general reaction, not his.

She picked up an armful of folders from the entrance and took the top one, dumping the rest into Max’s arms over his notebook. He sighed in irritation but took them anyway, reconfiguring everything he held for their next task. Emerald eyes glanced down at the folders, lightly flipping through the many names and diagnoses they would be checking up on. “Rounds, then?”

"You won't do this until Second Year," She flipped open the folder she’d kept and started off in the direction of their first patient with Max on her heels. Covington’s aura softened with a confident ease here; this would be her specialty once she finished her training, Max guessed. Good, Spell Damage and Potions rarely interacted face-to-face. "But we collect the folders from there and our job is to go through them all and ensure they have gotten the correct follow up treatment […] but the Spell Damage Ward is known for having the most long term patients."

She pulled back the curtain to reveal a young, mousey woman laying in the Spell Damage bed, whose face lit up at the sight of the third-year trainee. Huh, it suddenly occurred to Max that he’d never really seen anyone brighten that way with Covington’s surly demeanor appearing before them. In all honesty Max had expected from Covington what he saw at Hogwarts: excellent execution, terrible bedside manner. Apparently that wasn’t the case.

"Luckily for Miss Swindon, today is the day you get to go home isn't it Annie?" Rowena finished talking to the woman she'd gotten the know over the past few days she'd been hospitalised. "Her chart's at the end of the bed Kameren, if you'd care to read it out to me please."

As Rowena continued her diagnosis charms Max smiled lightly in greeting to the young woman as he pivoted to the foot of her bed and scooped up her chart. “Miss Swindon is recovering from Levitation sickness,” He glanced up apologetically at their patient before continuing, “Over the last few days she’s been weighted and gradually lowered, and we’re to make sure there’s no trace of weightlessness left over before she’s discharged.” He replaced the chart and eyed Covington expectantly: if she wanted to lead, then by all means he would let her.

[Rowena Jones]

“Miss Swindon is recovering from Levitation sickness. Over the last few days she’s been weighted and gradually lowered, and we’re to make sure there’s no trace of weightlessness left over before she’s discharged.” 

Rowena rolled her eyes as Max replaced the chart and looked at her expectantly. So the man wasn't even capable of taking the initiative. Typical. She glared at him before she turned to face Annie with a smile. 

"Ok, so we're going to remove the weighting charms completely and if all has gone to plan, you should stay firmly on the ground with the rest of us," she said. "Is it ok if Healer Kameren performs the spellwork?" It was basic enough stuff that even he would be able to do it and she was supposed to let him practice. Rowena didn't really want to let him do it but she was aware that she needed to work on her teamwork skills. It came up at every review; she was an excellent Healer but far too independent. Confidence was vital to being a good Healer but humility was also a virtue. She was not the only good Healer in the hospital. She'd lost count on how many times she'd heard that from Senior Healer Whippet. Thank Merlin the man was retiring next year. Surely it was always better to use the best. 

Annie nodded and Rowena turned to Max, an eyebrow raised. "You do know what to do right?" 

The more she thought about it though, the less she wanted to let him do it. It was his first day after all. She didn't know what he'd been doing these past few years but if he could barely pay attention on this morning of all mornings, perhaps it wasn't wise to risk a patient's safety. What if he messed up and made the situation worse? Annie was expecting to go home today, everyone was expecting her to go home today. If Max screwed up, they would blame Rowena. That couldn't happen. He'd been here one day and already ruined her perfect punctuality record. Despite everything else she was juggling, she'd always always been on time. Could she really trust that he wouldn't mess this up too? Could she afford to take that risk? No.

"Nevermind. I'll do it. Watch carefully Healer Kameren."

Rowena pushed Max slightly, even as her wand twirled as she performed the spellwork. Perfectly thank you very much. The weighting spell removed, Rowena peered at her patient, examining for even the slightest hint of levitation. "How do you feel?"

[Max Kameren]

Max snapped their patient’s chart closed and replaced it on the foot of the bed, glancing up at Rowena in exaggerated expectance. It appeared she was ready to run St. Mungo’s by the way she acted, by all means she could lead the way. She rolled her eyes and he half-shrugged, his expectant stare unmoving. If Max was going to earn his redemption today it wouldn’t be shadowing Rowena Covington.

"Ok, so we're going to remove the weighting charms completely and if all has gone to plan, you should stay firmly on the ground with the rest of us, is it ok if Healer Kameren performs the spellwork?" What was this? Rowena Get-Out-Of-My-Way-I-Know-All Covington was letting him do something? In his surprise Max smiled, uncrossing his arms to locate his wand. ”You do know what to do right?"

“‘Course,” There had been a bit of an outbreak of Levitation Sickness in the month since Max joined St. Mungo’s. In his efforts as a Potions Master administering Liquid-Lead to help weigh down patients he’d watched the testing procedure several times. Now, he finally got to learn the other side.

But just as Max was about to begin Rowena’s hand went up to stall him. "Nevermind. I'll do it. Watch carefully Healer Kameren."

Ah, there was the Rowena Covington he knew. With a loud sigh Max replaced his wand and watched along with a grim stare. How much difference did two years make? Rowena may be more experienced in healing than him, but she was still the same infuriating Ravenclaw he always knew. With an arched brow he watched her spellwork, emerald eyes following the movement of her wand and measuring her process.

"How do you feel?"

“Great!” Miss Swindon sat up straight, beaming up at the two Healers. “Am I ready?”

“One more thing.” Max arched a brow at Rowena. Had she forgotten? All that shellwork and she forgot the simplest step in determining Levitation Sickness recovery. “You didn’t weigh her.”

Max handed the files in his arms off to Rowena, extending a hand to help Miss Swindon off the bed and lead her to a scale in the common area of the treatment ward. He helped her onto the scale and took her weight, comparing it to the one listed on her admittance on the chart. His brow furrowed. “Hmm.”

“What is it?” The young witch stared nervously up at him and his furrowed brow broke into a reassuring smile. He led her back to her bed and helped her back in, taking her chart and turning with Rowena to exit the curtained-off area.

“Eleven kilos under.” Max glowered at Rowena in disappointment. “Unless she dropped eleven kilos in a week here, she’s still levitating. What’d you do wrong?” He flipped the chart open, eyes darting across the lines of her chart. It had something to do with Liquid-Lead, he could feel it in his gut. If there was an area of oversight for Rowena, it was potions. “What potions did you administer? When? How were they prepared?”

[Rowena Jones]

“Great!” Miss Swindon sat up straight, beaming up at the two Healers. “Am I ready?”

“One more thing.” Rowena turned to Max, eyes narrowing at his questioning eyebrow. What was he insinuating? The witch spluttered as the insufferable man handed the files in his arms off to her as if she was just a meager first year. How dare he? What was he doing with her patient?! Rowena glared at him as she shuffled to balance the papers in her arms and watched as he led Annie to the scales.

Oh. Rowena relaxed, though she was still annoyed that Max had just jumped in and apparently assumed she wasn't going to do the weighing. Merlin, she wasn't a novice. But she wasn't really surprised. Max Kameren had never appreciated her brilliance, had always had to show off and try to take charge. She'd quickly show him that it wasn't Hogwarts anymore. She'd been here far longer than he had, here at least she had seniority.

And then she noticed the furrowed brow and a little knot of anxiety formed in her stomach. Annie noticed it too.

“What is it?” Max ushered their patient back into bed and attempted to reassure her with what Rowena just knew he thought of as a winning smile, but neither woman was fooled. Something wasn't right and as Max took the chart and exited the curtained-off area, she quickly followed, needing to know what Max thought was wrong. It was probably nothing. What did he really know after all? Oooh, she was going to love berating him when it turned out to be nothing and he'd worried a patient for no reason.

“Eleven kilos under.”

Ok. So maybe there would be no berating. That was definitely something.

“Unless she dropped eleven kilos in a week here, she’s still levitating. What’d you do wrong?”

Rowena had been mentally going through the possibilities when his comment registered. Her wand was out and she'd cast a muffling charm in record time so that when she did in fact berate him, it was in the privacy of their own muffled bubble.

"What did I do wrong?! How fucking dare you, you insufferable twit! You have been here all of one day! You have some nerve accusing me of doing something wrong. I should have known you'd be exactly the same as when we were 17! You just have to be right don't you? Can't imagine that someone could actually be as good as you, let alone better!"

Of course he barely acknowledged her ranting, instead, flipping the chart open. “What potions did you administer? When? How were they prepared?”

"ARGH. What are you? The Potions Police?!" Rowena retorted, amber gaze flashing angrily. "What's in the chart?! What's written in the chart is what was given. For the rest, you'll have to ask the Potions department. You would have seen it this morning on your Introductory Tour." She emphasised the last words to remind him that he'd just started this job. Did the man have any sense at all? What kind of person just came in and started accusing their superiors of wrong doings?! "Urgh. I suppose I'll have to fetch one of them to get this fixed."

[Max Kameren]

“Unless she dropped eleven kilos in a week here, she’s still levitating. What’d you do wrong?”

Max felt the floor drop out from Rowena’s aura and knew he was in for an earful. He took a half-step back reflexively as she flicked out her wand, arching a warning brow as he met her fiery amber eyes. Max didn’t think her the type to revert to hexes in the middle of the hospital, but she was neurotic in their youth and two years’ distance didn’t do much to relieve it apparently. "What did I do wrong?! How fucking dare you, you insufferable twit! You have been here all of one day! You have some nerve accusing me of doing something wrong. I should have known you'd be exactly the same as when we were 17! You just have to be right don't you? Can't imagine that someone could actually be as good as you, let alone better!"

Evidently she hadn’t noticed the last month he’d spent on the Potions team. She hadn’t noticed the notes he’d been writing or consultations he’d made either. How astute. And the powers that be were thinking about making this hot-headed brat a Healer already?

Max did what he knew best when dealing with a Covington Meltdown like he’d done in his school days: ignore her. He wasn’t going to relive their Ravenclaw-Gryffindor rivalry, not in his lifelong career. “What potions did you administer? When? How were they prepared?”

"ARGH. What are you? The Potions Police?” He was, actually, but before he could get in a retort Covington slung more barbs in his direction. “What's in the chart?! What's written in the chart is what was given. For the rest, you'll have to ask the Potions department. You would have seen it this morning on your Introductory Tour. Urgh. I suppose I'll have to fetch one of them to get this fixed."

“No need.” Max cut her off before she could spin off for the Potions offices. His voice was a low monotone, belying his loss of patience with her antics. She wasn’t going to bugger up his first day as a Healer. “If you pulled your head out of your arse long enough to absorb your surroundings you’d have seen that I’m a Potions Master. I’ve been here for a month. Very astute Covington, with eyes like yours no wonder your patient won’t be going home today.”

Max snapped the patient’s folder closed and stepped out of Rowena’s muting spell to address the vials filed below Emily’s bedside table. With a reassuring nod in Annie’s direction on the bed he knelt to get a better view of her potions regimen. He pulled out a thin drawer in her bedside table, where four thin vials were held in circular slots so they could be measured and compared all at once. Max glanced from the chart to the vials mentally checking off each one was the allotted dosage was correct for each day of Annie’s stay. Damn. Everything was administered correctly; Rowena was innocent. It didn’t help her patient get discharged any earlier, but now the problem was mostly likely with the potion’s construction. With a sigh He pushed himself up, picking the last vial out of the drawer to inspect what was left of it.

“What’s going on?” Annie asked with trepidation, nearly wincing as she felt the uncomfortable tension between the two healers? “Is something wrong?”

“I’m afraid your discharge may be slightly delayed, Annie. I’m sorry.” Max’s eyes flashed momentarily towards Rowena expectantly to elaborate: this was her patient, she’d boasted. They had a rapport; she was the one who should be breaking bad news. Besides he was the Potions Police, wasn’t he? He needed to tend to the medication.

As they spoke Max pulled the stopper out of the vial and poured a drop of Liquid-Lead onto his finger. He pressed it to his lips, brow furrowing as the metallic taste electrified his tongue like a battery. His eyes glanced back down to the chart, then to the vial. “Annie?”

“Yes?” Annie’s attention was diverted from her conversation with Rowena back to Max and she stared at him warily, still somewhat unsure of the tall healer with the gruff bedside manor.

“Do you have any allergies?”

“No, not that I can think of.”

“Not just food allergies, what about metal? Have you been feeling sick at all, beyond the Levitation Sickness since you got here? Have you developed a rash at all?”

The young witch’s brow furrowed as she stared down at her hands in thought, bewildered with his sudden onslaught of questions. “I don’t think so. Do you mean like jewelry? I can’t wear nickel earrings, if that’s what you mean.”

“That’s what I mean, thank you.” His calming smile meant to sooth Annie died in his eyes when he glanced at Rowena and motioned for her to join him outside Annie’s privacy curtain. When they were far enough from Annie that they could speak Max handed over the chart, sending out blue-and-green sparks to find Healer Franken. “There’s nickel in Liquid-Lead. Her body has been fighting the treatment instead of healing from it, so she’s behind schedule. There’s an alternative using Silver extract instead, but it will have to be specially made.”

Max shrugged. “It could be another twenty-four to forty-eight hours. We can only brew for what’s reported to us. These questions should have been asked before her treatment was scheduled.” By whom, Max would leave hanging in the air for Rowena to deduce.